Pea protein helps kidney health, lowers blood pressure

Thursday April 2, 2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- Pea protein may help reduce blood pressure and improve kidney health, a Canadian study presented at the American Chemical Society’s 237th National Meeting suggests.

The study, first reported by nutraingredients.com, showed rats fed hydrolysates of proteins extracted from the yellow garden pea had their blood pressure lowered by 20 percent compared to rats that did not eat pea protein.

For the study, Rotimi Aluko from the University of Manitoba and colleagues fed laboratory rats with polycystic kidney disease a small dose of pea protein daily.

The blood pressure lowering effect was observed after eight weeks of treatment. The researchers also observed that eating the pea protein increased rats’ urination by up to 30 percent, to normal levels.

A clinical trial in mildly hypertensive people is currently underway and the results are expected in the fall. If proved to be effective, the product may hit the consumer market in a matter of two to three years.

The researchers do not know why pea protein helps rats with chronic kidney disease, but suggested that the protein may boost the production of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), which boosts kidney function.

By David Liu, and edited by Heather Kelley.